United States Attorney Kevin Ritz Inducted to Memphis-Shelby County Schools Alumni Hall of Fame

Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz was honored recently as one of several notable graduates to be named to the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Alumni Hall of Fame. At a gala and award ceremony on August 24, MSCS paid tribute to Memphians whose compelling stories and professional achievements provide inspiration to city students. In addition to U.S. Attorney Ritz, this year’s honorees included The Memphis State Eight, Velma Lois Jones, Dr. Derrick Payne, Dr. Quodarrius Toney, Pastor Tony Wade, Thaddeus Young, and Dr. Charlie Caswell, Jr.

Selected photos of the gala and a video highlighting Mr. Ritz’s accomplishments are available below.

A graduate of Ridgeway Elementary School, White Station Junior High, and White Station High School, Ritz credits his MSCS experience with providing the grounding for his lifelong dedication to public service. 

“I’m very proud to be a public-school graduate; it’s something I talk about whenever I introduce myself to any community or law enforcement group,” said U.S. Attorney Ritz. “I had terrific teachers who taught me how to write and helped build the foundation for me to become a lawyer that specialized in writing. I attended schools that were extremely diverse and taught me to learn from and interact with people who are different from me. I value so highly what the Memphis-Shelby County Schools did for me. This is just a tremendous honor.”

After graduation, Ritz received his J.D. from the University of Virginia, his M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and his B.A. with High Distinction from the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar. Between college and law school, Mr. Ritz worked for the United States Department of State. He then returned to Memphis, where he clerked for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Julia Gibbons before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Ritz later became the Chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section, President of the Federal Bar Association’s Memphis Chapter, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

Past MSCS Hall of Fame inductees include Elvis Presley, Benjamin Hooks, Penny Hardaway, actress Kathy Bates, songwriter/producer David Porter, former Memphis Police Department director Toney Armstrong, and designer and CEO Brandice Daniel.

For more information about the 2023 MSCS Alumni Hall of Fame, visit scsk12.org/hof.

###